In this episode, we recap a weekend at a tattoo convention and talk about what it’s like documenting events like that year after year, reconnecting with artists, and getting back into a creative rhythm behind the camera. The conversation turns into a broader look at tattoo convention culture, networking in the industry, and the role photography plays in preserving those moments.

We also get into a heated story involving AI-generated tattoo designs and a near conflict between shops, which opens a larger discussion about originality, creative ownership, and whether AI belongs in tattooing at all. From there, we talk about editing workflows, supporting artists through documentation, and what makes handmade work different from algorithm-driven output.

The episode wraps with lighter conversations about games we’ve been playing, creative habits outside the shop, and why tattoo conventions remain one of the most important spaces for artists to connect, learn, and stay inspired.

Connect with Dial Tone :

Call or text the show: 910-357-1830

Email: [email protected]

Follow and watch more content:

TikTok: @dialtone.podcast

Instagram: @dialtonepodcast

Facebook: Dial Tone Podcast

Connect with your hosts:

Taco on TikTok: @travel_with_taco

Anthony on TikTok: @Anthonyy.jpg

Anthony on Instagram: @younglord.ant

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This episode starts off a little chaotic. We’re recording while there’s real-life drama happening right outside the office involving our landlords and a nearby shooting, which somehow turns into the setup for one of those classic Dial Tone catch-up conversations after a long week of barely talking to each other.

From there, the episode shifts into a mix of life updates and the kinds of thoughts that come out during therapy when you finally say things out loud instead of keeping them in your head. That opens the door to a conversation about creative habits like doodling during conversations, saving random notes from everyday life, and how documenting small moments over time can turn into something meaningful.

Eventually, the episode turns into what it naturally becomes: a full deep dive into hip hop. We talk about the Kendrick vs. Drake battle, artists we grew up listening to, how scandals change the way people experience music, and the difference between respecting the art and separating it from the artist. Along the way we get into Biggie vs. Tupac, Eminem, Lil Wayne, DMX, Wu-Tang, Action Bronson, Griselda, and the albums that shaped how we listen to music in the first place.

It’s part life update, part music conversation, and part nostalgia episode about the artists and moments that stick with you longer than you expect.

Connect with Dial Tone :

Call or text the show: 910-357-1830

Email: [email protected]

Follow and watch more content:

TikTok: @dialtone.podcast

Instagram: @dialtonepodcast

Facebook: Dial Tone Podcast

Connect with your hosts:

Taco on TikTok: @travel_with_taco

Anthony on TikTok: @Anthonyy.jpg

Anthony on Instagram: @younglord.ant

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In this episode, we kick things off by talking about Taco’s new teeth and how weird it is seeing a familiar face suddenly look completely different after years. From there, we get into Easter plans, family brunch stories, and a small behind-the-scenes scare when we thought we lost an entire recorded episode after an SD card went through the wash (and somehow survived).

The conversation then turns into a longer debate about space travel, whether we actually went to the moon in the first place, and what it means that we’re supposedly heading back again. We get into conspiracy theories, NASA logic, old technology vs. modern capability, and how people decide what they believe when it comes to big historical moments like the moon landing.

It’s a laid-back episode with random tangents, questionable theories, and the kind of conversations that start simple and slowly spiral into bigger questions about history, science, and what’s actually real.

Connect with Dial Tone :

Call or text the show: 910-357-1830

Email: [email protected]

Follow and watch more content:

TikTok: @dialtone.podcast

Instagram: @dialtonepodcast

Facebook: Dial Tone Podcast

Connect with your hosts:

Taco on TikTok: @travel_with_taco

Anthony on TikTok: @Anthonyy.jpg

Anthony on Instagram: @younglord.ant

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In this episode, we start with some Easter mix-ups and church memories before getting into stories from traveling through Texas, working conventions, and chasing down some of the best barbecue we’ve had on the road. What starts as casual catch-up turns into a deep dive on movies, storytelling, and the kinds of plot twists that either make a film unforgettable or completely take us out of it.

We share our thoughts on films like Sinners, The Irishman, Longlegs, Terrifier, and classics like Goodfellas, Casino, and The Godfather, while debating what makes certain directors, performances, and endings actually stick. We also get into Southern folklore, voodoo misconceptions, and how cultural context can shape the tone of a story more than people realize.

It’s a laid-back episode full of travel stories, movie debates, and the kind of unexpected tangents that happen when we just follow the conversation wherever it goes.

Connect with Dial Tone :

Call or text the show: 910-357-1830

Email: [email protected]

Follow and watch more content:

TikTok: @dialtone.podcast

Instagram: @dialtonepodcast

Facebook: Dial Tone Podcast

Connect with your hosts:

Taco on TikTok: @travel_with_taco

Anthony on TikTok: @Anthonyy.jpg

Anthony on Instagram: @younglord.ant

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This week on Dial Tone, we start with Taco’s mystery elbow injury and somehow end up talking about long-distance phone charges, showing up at friends’ houses unannounced, handwritten letters, and how fast the world changed without anyone really noticing.

We get into birthday trips to Greenville, Korean barbecue and hot pot for the first time, the unexpected value of a good manicure, and why Trader Joe’s still needs to come to Jacksonville. Then things shift into a bigger conversation about technology. From growing up with house phones and AIM to printing objects from your phone across town with a 3D printer, it’s wild how different everyday life looks now compared to even one generation ago.

We also talk about disappearing habits like calling instead of texting, neighbors dropping by just to say hello, and what it meant to grow up with a little more independence and a lot less screen time.

Somewhere in there we decide people should probably start writing letters again.

Episode 14 is part nostalgia, part tech appreciation, and part reminder that maybe things didn’t feel this fast all that long ago.

Connect with Dial Tone :

Call or text the show: 910-357-1830

Email: [email protected]

Follow and watch more content:

TikTok: @dialtone.podcast

Instagram: @dialtonepodcast

Facebook: Dial Tone Podcast

Connect with your hosts:

Taco on TikTok: @travel_with_taco

Anthony on TikTok: @Anthonyy.jpg

Anthony on Instagram: @younglord.ant

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Episode 13 starts off exactly how you’d expect from us.

We somehow open on Friday the 13th even though it isn’t Friday the 13th, talk about Pi Day, celebrate one full year of playing chess badly, and try to figure out what’s actually wrong with Taco’s elbow after the doctor basically said “good luck.”

Then the conversation shifts.

We get into near-death moments, getting older, and what changes when something serious reminds you that you’re not guaranteed another day. Taco tells the story of the car accident that almost killed him and his kids, what it was like sitting in the hospital afterward, and the moment it really hit him that things could have gone very differently.

From there we talk about trauma, comparing experiences, bouncing back from hard situations, and why people downplay what they’ve been through even when they shouldn’t.

Somewhere in between all that we also talk about turning 30, having kids someday, the name Luna Riot, building a home office setup, 3D printers, thrifting trips around eastern North Carolina, and why this office is finally starting to feel like ours.

It’s funny, honest, and one of those episodes that ended up deeper than we planned when we hit record.

Connect with Dial Tone :

Call or text the show: 910-357-1830

Email: [email protected]

Follow and watch more content:

TikTok: @dialtone.podcast

Instagram: @dialtonepodcast

Facebook: Dial Tone Podcast

Connect with your hosts:

Taco on TikTok: @travel_with_taco

Anthony on TikTok: @Anthonyy.jpg

Anthony on Instagram: @younglord.ant

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Episode 12 of Dial Tone starts with Taco preparing for a big life upgrade: new dentures. We break down how the process works, why Taco hasn’t had real teeth in years, the mystery of what shade they’ll end up being, and whether the podcast is about to sound different once the procedure is done.

From there the conversation turns into absolute chaos.

We debate dental hygiene, Taco’s legendary refusal to brush his teeth for over a decade, and his even more shocking claim that he hasn’t showered in three weeks. That spirals into a full discussion about hygiene habits, body chemistry, and whether mouthwash alone can carry the weight of good breath.

The episode also dives into everyday life frustrations and philosophies. Anthony goes on a rant about modern car key fobs costing hundreds of dollars, the difference between supporting local businesses versus big chains like Starbucks, and why small coffee shops and Dunkin still win when it comes to working-class coffee culture.

Toward the end the conversation shifts into work and lifestyle. Anthony talks about grinding long corporate hours and feeling proud of the projects he’s building, while Taco explains how he structured his life to work as little as possible by cutting expenses, living simply, and essentially becoming “semi-retired.”

Along the way we get into thrifting, wedding photography horror stories, the stress of capturing once-in-a-lifetime moments on camera, Taco’s 20-year marriage that has been separated for almost all of it, and the strange life choices that somehow still work out.

Like every episode of Dial Tone, it’s equal parts ridiculous stories, real life philosophy, and two friends trying to make sense of adulthood.

If you enjoy the podcast, share it with a friend and check out the previous episodes.

Connect with Dial Tone :

Call or text the show: 910-357-1830

Email: [email protected]

Follow and watch more content:

TikTok: @dialtone.podcast

Instagram: @dialtonepodcast

Facebook: Dial Tone Podcast

Connect with your hosts:

Taco on TikTok: @travel_with_taco

Anthony on TikTok: @Anthonyy.jpg

Anthony on Instagram: @younglord.ant

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Episode 11 of Dial Tone starts with a conversation about the growing tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran and quickly turns into one of our most unpredictable episodes yet.

We talk about living in Jacksonville near a major Marine Corps base and how military culture shapes the local economy, from deployments to tattoo shops to the constant flow of service members through town. That leads into a wild story about Taco almost joining the military, getting kicked out of the ASVAB testing room, and somehow learning the months of the year through pushups.

From there the conversation goes everywhere. We get into strange internet rabbit holes, the weird corners of human curiosity, and how the brain processes sensation and experience. That opens up a deeper discussion about memory, consciousness, psychedelics like DMT, and how the human mind might actually work.

Things take a more reflective turn when we talk about aging, grandparents, and what it means to slowly lose memory through dementia or Alzheimer’s. We share personal stories about family, wisdom passed down through generations, and why preserving those memories matters more the older we get.

As always, the episode mixes ridiculous humor with real conversations about life, memory, culture, and the strange things that make us human.

Listen to Episode 11 of Dial Tone and join the conversation.

If you enjoy the podcast, share it with a friend and check out the previous episodes.

Connect with Dial Tone :

Call or text the show: 910-357-1830

Email: [email protected]

Follow and watch more content:

TikTok: @dialtone.podcast

Instagram: @dialtonepodcast

Facebook: Dial Tone Podcast

Connect with your hosts:

Taco on TikTok: @travel_with_taco

Anthony on TikTok: @Anthonyy.jpg

Anthony on Instagram: @younglord.ant

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Ten episodes in.

What started at a Circle K in Jacksonville stocking the beer cave, hiding out in the bib room with no cameras, surviving power outages, and dealing with absolute chaos somehow turned into an eight year friendship and a podcast.

In this milestone episode of Dial Tone we finally tell the real origin story.

We talk about how we met working opposite shifts, how a random cigar night turned coworkers into real friends, and how Taco went from overnight stocker to assistant manager while Ant mastered the art of doing just enough to not get fired until he got fired anyway over an ice cream machine complaint after getting away with way worse.

We get into gas station life in full detail. Wild customers. Bathroom horror stories. Soda syrup wars in the cooler. Getting high on third shift. Dating coworkers. Disappearing for years. And the “I’m in the lobby” text that restarted everything.

Underneath all the chaos this episode is really about unlikely friendships, race and age gaps, distance, rock bottom moments, rebuilding, and how honesty is what actually made the friendship stronger when life got real.

Episode 10 is funny, reckless, reflective, and way deeper than a gas station story should be.

Connect with Dial Tone :

Call or text the show: 910-357-1830

Email: [email protected]

Follow and watch more content:

TikTok: @dialtone.podcast

Instagram: @dialtonepodcast

Facebook: Dial Tone Podcast

Connect with your hosts:

Taco on TikTok: @travel_with_taco

Anthony on TikTok: @Anthonyy.jpg

Anthony on Instagram: @younglord.ant

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Episode 9 is the post-Valentine’s recap… but it turns into way more than that.

Ant gets back from Raleigh and immediately admits the diet didn’t survive the weekend. Milkshakes with a whole brownie on top. Loaded bagels. Tacos and sushi in the same sitting. Pork belly pad thai. Southern breakfast platters. Zero restraint. Zero guilt in the moment.

But the trip wasn’t just about food.

We get into the art museum, independent art stores, a Latinx-owned shop called Moonjo where Ant drops $200 supporting artists, barcades, vinyl shops, and why supporting independent creatives actually matters. There’s a whole side conversation about language, culture, “Latinx,” and accidentally trying to solve non-binary Spanish as two unqualified guys on a mic.

Then it shifts into something more real, what it feels like to step away from your routine, break monotony, and come back recharged. We talk about work cycles, burnout, money, discipline, slipping into old habits, and that weird balance between enjoying life and not sabotaging yourself.

It’s funny, it’s chaotic, it’s self-aware, and it somehow moves from brownie milkshakes to cultural identity to corporate monotony without warning.

Connect with Dial Tone :

Call or text the show: 910-357-1830

Email: [email protected]

Follow and watch more content:

TikTok: @dialtone.podcast

Instagram: @dialtonepodcast

Facebook: Dial Tone Podcast

Connect with your hosts:

Taco on TikTok: @travel_with_taco

Anthony on TikTok: @Anthonyy.jpg

Anthony on Instagram: @younglord.ant